Catamaran structure

ABSTRACT

A catamaran structure that includes a longitudinally extending, intermediately positioned, elongate rigid member of circular transverse cross section that pivotally supports a tubular sleeve thereon. The sleeve serves as a support for a sail carrying mast that extends upwardly therefrom, and a keel structure that depends downwardly therefrom. The center of gravity of the keel structure and the weight of the keel structure are so related to the height of the mast and the area of the sail carried thereon, that the mast and sail will tilt laterally to port or starboard when the catamaran is wind driven, but without tilting the pontoons of the catamaran and the user supported structure situated therebetween. The relationship of the keep and mast structure above described is preferably such that the mast can tilt in the strongest wind that will normally be encountered, but without this tilting being sufficient to move the lowermost portion of the keel structure into contact with the catamaran to result in the overturn of the latter.

United States Patent [191 Marcil 1145] May 27, 1975 1 CATAMARANSTRUCTURE Paul M. Marci], 12117 Phillips Ave., Lynwood, Calif. 90262 221Filed: July 15,1974

211 App]. No.: 488,589

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 114/39; 1l4/61; 114/91 [51] Int. Cl. B63h 9/00 [58] Fieldof Search 114/39, 61, 132, 136, 143,

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerGregory W. OConnorAttorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam C. Babcock [57] ABSTRACT A catamaranstructure that includes a longitudinally extending, intermediatelypositioned, elongate rigid member of circular transverse cross sectionthat pivotally supports a tubular sleeve thereon. The sleeve serves as asupport for a sail carrying mast that extends upwardly therefrom, and akeel structure that depends downwardly therefrom. The center of gravityof the keel structure and the weight of the keel structure are sorelated to the height of the mast and the area of the sail carriedthereon, that the mast and sail will tilt laterally to port or starboardwhen the catamaran is wind driven, but without tilting the pontoons ofthe catamaran and the user supported structure situated therebetween.The relationship of the keep and mast structure above described ispreferably such that the mast can tilt in the strongest wind that willnormally be encountered, but without this tilting being sufficient tomove the lowermost portion of the keel structure into contact with thecatamaran to result in the overturn of the latter.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED HAY 2 71975 CATAMARAN STRUCTUREBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Catamaranstructure.

2. Description of the Prior Art The popularity of the catamaran hasincreased markedly in recent years. However, such craft have theoperational disadvantage that they are subjected to extreme tilting in astrong breeze, which requires the user or passengers to shift from sideto side, and in some instances, the catamaran may actually be overturnedin a particularly strong gust of wind. This operational disadvantage iseliminated in the present invention, by allowing the sail carrying mastand the keel structure to be concurrently supported from a pivotallymounted sleeve, and in a strong wind or breeze, the mast assuming atilted position either port or starboard of the catamaran, but withoutdisplacing the pontoons and the user supporting structure therebetweenfrom a horizontal position.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a catamaran thatwill have all of the operational advantages inherent to a conventionalcatamaran vessel, but with the keel structure and sail carrying mastcapable of tilting either port or starboard when the catamaran issubjected to a substantial wind or breeze, and without this tilting inany way moving the pontoons and the user supporting structure situatedtherebetween from a horizontal position.

A further object of the invention is to supply a catamaran in which themast and area of the sail carried thereon are so related to the weightand center of gravity of the keel structure, that even in the strongestwind that will normally be encountered, the mast and keel will pivot,but without danger of overturning the catamaran.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a catamaran in whichthe enjoyment thereof is enhanced by the pontoon and user supportingportion of the catamaran therebetween remaining in a substantiallyhorizontal position irrespective to the degree in which the sailcarrying mast and the keet structure pivot transversely relative to thepontoons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A catamaran that includes a pair of laterallyspaced pontoons that are connected in fixed relationship with oneanother by a number of transversely extending cross pieces. An elongaterigid member extends longitudinally between the pontoons and is affixedto the cross pieces. The elongate member pivotally supports a sleeve,with the sleeve having a mast extending upwardly therefrom on which atleast one sail is mounted. A keel structure depends downwardly from thesleeve, with the weight of the keel and the center of gravity thereofbeing so related to the height of the mast and the sail carried thereonthat the mast and sail may pivot when the catamaran is subjected to asubstantial wind or breeze, without the tilting of the mast and the keelstructure resulting in like tilting of the pontoons or the usersupporting portion of the catamaran situated therebetween. Thus, thecatamaran, when subjected to even strong gusts of wind will merely havethe mast, sail, and keel structure pivot relative to the elongatemember, and without the necessity of the user or passengers on thecatamaran shifting from side to side to keep one of the pontoons raisingfrom the water. Due to the pivoting of the mast and sail carriedthereon, as well as the keel structure, the possibility of the catamaranbeing overturned when subjected to strong justs of wind is substantiallyminimized as in such a gust the effective area of a sail exposed theretois substantially lessened due to the sail and mast automaticallypivoting to a lowered position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of acatamaran embodying a pivotally movable mast and sail supported thereon,together with a keel structure that depends downwardly from a rotatablesleeve;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the catamaran when not subjected toa strong breeze or wind;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the catamaran as shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the catamaran when the latter issubjected to a strong wind, which wind is of sufficient magnitude tocause the sail carrying mast and the keel structure to tiltsubstantially to either port or starboard.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A catamaran A is shown in thedrawings that embodies the present invention, with the catamaranincluding two parallel laterally spaced pontoons B that are supported infixed relationship with one another by two or more cross pieces C. Therearwardly disposed cross piece C pivotally supports a rudder D that iscontrolled by a handle E. An elongate rigid member F is intermeidatelypositioned between the pontoons B and parallel thereto, and is rigidlysecured to the cross pieces C.

The elongate member F has at least a portion thereof that is of circulartransverse cross section, and this portion pivotally supporting atubular sleeve G. A mast H has the lower end thereof rigidly secured tothe upper portion of the sleeve G as shown in FIG. 1, and the mastsupporting at least one sail J.

The elongate member-F and the pontoons B by webbing K or other meanshave a support L for a user or passengers extending therebetween. Thesail as is conventional in sailing vessels includes a boom M that ispivotally secured to the mast H, and lines N being provided to raise orlower the sail on the mast H as well as otherwise control the positionof the sail. The sleeves G may be longitudinally disposed at a desiredadjusted position on the elongate member F, by providing two collars 0between which the sleeve G is positioned, and the collars 0 being heldin a fixed position on the elongate member F by tightening set screws Por like conventional holding members.

A keel structure Q is provided that depends from the sleeve G and as maybe seen in FIG. 4 that pivots concurrently with the sleeve when the mastH and sail J pivot to the port or starboard due to the sail beingsubjected to a substantial wind.

The keel structure Q as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a strong rigidplate 10 that depends from the sleeve G and has a first end securedthereto. The plate on the lower second end thereof supports a weight 12that is illustrated in the drawings of being elongate shape and havingpointed ends 13 to minimize the resistance of the weight as it is movedthrough the waterW.

The distance R from the center of gravity 14 of keel weight 12 as shownin FIGS. 1 and 4 to the center line 16 about which the sleeve G pivotsis so selected relative to the height of mast H and area of sail J thatwhen the catamaran A is subjected to strongest wind it will normallyencounter, the weight 12 will not be pivoted upwardly to the extent thatit contacts one of the pontoons B and causes the craft to overturn.

The use and operation of the catamaran A will be obvious from theprevious description and the drawings illustrating the catamaran, andfurther description of the operation of the catamaran is not required.

I claim:

1. In a catamaran that includes a pair of laterally spaced parallelpontoons, a plurality of spaced cross pieces secured to said pontoons tomaintain them in a fixed spaced relationship, a mast having a first end,a sail supported from sail mast, a rudder pivotally supported in a fixedposition relative to said pontoons, a support for a user of saidcatamaran intermediately disposed between said pontoons, the improvementfor so supporting said mast and sail that said pontoons, support andcross pieces remain substantially horizontal when said catamaran is windpropelled, said improvement comprising:

a. a rigid elongate member secured to said crosspieces and normallydisposed thereto, said member of circular transverse cross section;

b. a pair of longitudinally spaced collars adjustably secured to saidrigid member;

c. a tubular sleeve pivotally supported from said elongate member anddisposed between said collars;

d. first means for rigidly connecting said first end of said mast tosaid sleeve for said mast to extend upwardly therefrom; and

e. a keel weight f. a rigid downwardly extending keel member that hasfirst and second ends, said first end of said keel member secured tosaid sleeve and said second end to said keel weight, with the magnitudeof said keel weight and the distance between said first and second endsof said keel member being so related to the height of said mast and thearea of said sail that said mast and sail will pivot downwardly andoutwardly and said keel member and keel weight upwardly and outwardly assaid catamaran is subjected to wind without said pontoons crosspiecesand support being appreciably displaced from a horizontal position.

2. A catamaran as defined in claim 1, which in addition includes:

f. first means for slidably adjusting said collars to selectedlongitudinal positions on said elongate member to locate said mast andsleeve at a desired longitudinal position relative to said pontoon.

3. A catamaran as defined in claim 1 in which keel member includes thedistance between the center of gravity of said weight and the centerlineabout which said sleeve pivots being so selected that said weight doesnot pivot upwardly to contact one of said pontoons in the strongest windto which said catamaran will normally be subjected.

1. In a catamaran that includes a pair of laterally spaced parallel pontoons, a plurality of spaced cross pieces secured to said pontoons to maintain them in a fixed spaced relationship, a mast having a first end, a sail supported from sail mast, a rudder pivotally supported in a fixed position relative to said pontoons, a support for a user of said catamaran intermediately disposed between said pontoons, the improvement for so supporting said mast and sail that said pontoons, support and cross pieces remain substantially horizontal when said catamaran is wind propelled, said improvement comprising: a. a rigid elongate member secured to said cross-pieces and normally disposed thereto, said member of circular transverse cross section; b. a pair of longitudinally spaced collars adjustably secured to said rigid member; c. a tubular sleeve pivotally supported from said elongate member and disposed between said collars; d. first means for rigidly connecting said first end of said mast to said sleeve for said mast to extend upwardly therefrom; and e. a keel weight f. a rigid downwardly extending keel member that has first and second ends, said first end of said keel member secured to said sleeve and said second end to said keel weight, with the magnitude of said keel weight and the distance between said first and second ends of said keel member being so related to the height of said mast and the area of said sail that said mast and sail will pivot downwardly and outwardly and said keel member and keel weight upwardly and outwardly as said catamaran is subjected to wind without said pontoons crosspieces and support being appreciably displaced from a horizontal position.
 2. A catamaran as defined in claim 1, which in addition includes: f. first means for slidably adjusting said collars to selected longitudinal positions on said elongate member to locate said mast and sleeve at a desired longitudinal position relative to said pontoon.
 3. A catamaran as defined in claim 1 in which keel member includes the distance between the center of gravity of said weight and the centerline about which said sleeve pivots being so selected that said weight does not pivot upwardly to contact one of said pontoons in the strongest wind to which said catamaran will normally be subjected. 